With a loud crash.
The Hao family's rather sturdy main gate was broken open in just a few blows by the man with the tattooed arm.
Xie Jiang turned to face the tattooed man and said, "The Hao family's gate is now open. Whatever wealth you desire, you may enter and take it now. Whatever you can carry is yours."
The tattooed man thought he had misheard. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he asked in disbelief, "Are you joking with me? The Hao family is an official's residence!"
They were being told to charge directly into someone's mansion and rob them?
Could things get any crazier?
In the past, they had only dared to gaze at the grand mansions in this area and indulge in such daydreams.
But dreams were just dreams; how could they become reality?
Ruan Ziji felt a bit displeased hearing this. "If we tell you to go in and take it, then go in and take it boldly. Who has the leisure to joke with you?"
Xie Jiang said with a mocking smile, "What if it's an official's residence? The Nanxiong Marquis's mansion was also a marquis's mansion, wasn't it? And it turned to dust in the blink of an eye."
The logic was sound; no skyscraper could stand forever. "Are you telling the truth?" The tattooed man still found it hard to believe, looking at the now-open grand gate with eyes full of desire and greed.
How much money did the Hao family have? They didn't know.
But they knew the Hao family was an official family, and those living in this area were all officials.
The size of the residence and the grandeur of the gate were enough to estimate their wealth.
The tattooed man gazed at the Hao family mansion before him, as if seeing a mountain of gold beckoning him.
But where in the world could such good fortune exist, and why would it fall to them?
Ruan Ziji understood what Xie Jiang was planning. He impatiently said to the tattooed man, "I hear the Hao family's fortune is not small. Whatever you can take is your price."
If he had known Xie Gongzi had this plan earlier, he would have clarified it with these people when recruiting them, saving them this hesitation.
He wondered if Xie Gongzi would think he was incompetent.
Ruan Ziji turned back and counted his companions and their respective followers, assessing the feasibility of them breaking in and causing destruction themselves.
The tattooed man looked at Xie Jiang and then at Ruan Ziji with uncertainty. Their attitudes had finally convinced him that they were serious, that they had actually brought them here to rob an official residence!
Could such a good thing really happen in this world? And it had fallen upon them?
But the tattooed man's eyes were not completely blinded by greed. Instead, he became more cautious, scrutinizing Xie Jiang and Ruan Ziji, fearing there might be a huge trap waiting for them.
He worried that Xie Jiang and Ruan Ziji had sought them out to use them as stepping stones.
Even if they got the money, they needed to live to spend it.
Xie Jiang scoffed, "What are you still hesitating for? I'm standing right here. If the Hao family wants revenge, they'll come for me, not you. Have you looked in the mirror? If you don't have the guts, then all of you, get lost."
Da Chui and Luo Tie had already led their men into the Hao family mansion. Soon, various exclamations, curses, and sounds of fighting erupted from within.
The commotion from inside somewhat eased the tattooed man's concerns. "As long as there's no trap, why wouldn't we dare to go and take piles of silver?"
The tattooed man silently calculated the time it would take to rob the Hao residence and escape the capital. Given their capabilities, they might not be able to escape the capital.
But great wealth often came with great risk. If they lacked courage, why would they have dared to come today? Moreover, he understood the meaning of this Marquis Xie. This Marquis Xie would help them hold off the patrol camp.
Such an opportunity would not come again.
The tattooed man made up his mind. He raised his hand, preparing to signal those behind him.
"Wait."
Xie Jiang suddenly spoke, stopping him.
The tattooed man asked, "What?"
Xie Jiang's tone was cold, "You can take as much money and property as you wish. If you encounter any men, you can beat them as you please. You can even enter the Hao family's inner quarters to rob and smash whatever you find, as long as you have the ability. You can even tear down this Hao family residence if you can. But I must warn you of one thing: do not touch the women."
"If even one person breaks this rule, none of you, all one hundred and ten of you, will leave the capital alive."
The look in Xie Jiang's eyes as he said this sent a chill through the tattooed man's heart.
The tattooed man realized this was the bottom line they had drawn for them.
Beyond this, they could do as they pleased in their smashing and looting.
The tattooed man raised his arm and led his men into the Hao family mansion.
Before they charged in, the rules were clearly laid out.
And the tattooed man specifically emphasized that the bandits of Huang Lanshan, who had wreaked havoc in Baiyou for decades, had been wiped out by this Marquis Xie.
Did they know what "wiped out" meant?
Not a single soul left alive.
The idle ruffians and bullies understood.
They dared not not understand.
This Marquis Xie was not human.
They would definitely abide by the rules.
It was just not touching the women, which wasn't that difficult. With so much money, they could find any woman they wanted. Why would they covet the Hao family's women?
Such blatant intrusion into an official residence, with the freedom to rob and plunder, was unprecedented. What more could they possibly want!
Money, money, money!
Rob, rob, rob!
No one could stop them!
Watching the group of ruffians, like hungry wolves with greedy eyes, charge into the Hao family mansion, Xu Hengyi felt a pang of unease.
"Xie Jiang, isn't this... a bit too ruthless?" Hiring a bunch of thugs to go and rob someone's house? Is that something a human would do!
Screams were rising one after another from the Hao family mansion. Xu Hengyi didn't need to see to be sure that those screaming in pain were definitely members of the Hao family.
Xie Jiang's men were all skilled killers, proficient in all sorts of brutal tactics. The Hao family's guards and retainers were no match for them.
Xie Jiang walked in unhurriedly. "If Luo Tie and Nie Tong were a bit more incompetent, how do you think Hao Wei would have dealt with me?"
Xu Hengyi remained silent.
Hao Wei would likely have crippled Xie Jiang, and killing him was not impossible.
"But..."
"But Hao Wei didn't manage to harm me? If I fight back when attacked, I'm wrong, and if he fails to commit evil because he's weaker, then he's in the right?"
"..."
As Xie Jiang and a few others entered the Hao family mansion, Nie Tong closed the door from the outside. It was better to be able to do as they pleased once the door was shut.
Nie Tong led his men to guard the entrance, preventing any meddlers, such as the patrol camp, from interfering.
Chaos erupted within the Hao family mansion.
In broad daylight, villains had broken in!
This was outrageous!
The retainers and guards, armed with weapons, rushed to the front courtyard from all directions.
However, they encountered a monster.
No matter how skilled the guards considered themselves to be, no matter what swords, spears, or clubs they wielded, as soon as they approached, they were sent flying without any suspense.
The idle ruffians and bullies were all prepared. They had expected that the prerequisite for getting rich would be a fierce fight.
To their surprise, their services were completely unnecessary.
After over a hundred people rushed in, they stood there dumbfounded, watching Da Chui utterly crush the Hao family's retainers and guards. For a moment, they were at a loss.
Finally, someone shouted, asking if they still wanted money, and the group cheered and scattered to search for valuables.